Medicinal compound.



s'ra as ra ran'r WILLIAM GENERAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES, OF NEW YORK, N.

JOHN KNOX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY ME SNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MEDICINAL COMPOUND.

I 1 210,949 Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

' a and useful Improvements in Medicinal Compounds, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to medicinal compounds and to the method of producing the same, and an object of my invention is to produce an improved, eflicient and emollient laxative. Another object of my invention is to provide a laxative which will act germici lly upon the pathogenic micro-organisms in the intestines.

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following 20 description.

My improved laxative is obtained by the treatment of a hydroxylated fatty acid the serieswhose formula is C H O and more specifically by the treatment of ricin- 5 oleic acid, either alone or in the compound commonly known as castor oil, the main constituent of which is triricinolein, the triglycerid of ricinoleic acid.

Castor oil,which is obtained on compression or extraction from the castor bean, has the highest specific gravity and viscosity of any natural mineral or vegetable oil and has been used as a purgative since ver early times. The castor bean contains an al uminous con-' stituent known as ricin which is highly toxic and belongs to the class of vegetable poisons known as toxalbumins. Physiologically it is'an agglutinin, that is, when added to the blood, it causes the red corpuscles to agglu- 40 tinate or clump together in masses; and

when taken internally in a large dose it producesviolent bloody vomiting and diarrhea. The lethal dose of ricin is 0.18 grain or less, and it is stated that 1/100 of this amount will kill if introduced intravenously. This violent' toxic albuminoid is largely retained in the pulp of the castor bean, but not wholly so, nor even uniformly so, since there is no chemically or medically standardized oil, with the result that the raw oil is usually strongly purgative instead of laxative, and frequently produces a griping and diarrhea only less in extent but similar to that pro-u duced when large doses of ricin are introduced into the intestines.

l jsfissqa) 3- of the ricinoleic acid is Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed July 30, 1914. Serial No. 854,036.

An object of my invention is to provide a method for treating the castor oil to destroy the toxic properties of the oil due to the mom.

Castor oil consists mostly of triricinolein, which is the triglycerid of ricinoleic acid. Specifically,ricinoleic acid is a hydroxylated fatty acid of the ricinoleic series, having the general formula C H O The empirical formula of ricinoleic acid is C H O while the empirical formula of the triricinolein 1s The structural formula omen.)kph-on -cn=cnom 1.coon

' on The remaining constituents of the castor oil include a greater or less amount of free ricin. Attempts have heretofore been made to destroy the toxic property of this ricin constituent, as by steaming or heating in the f presence of water to cause coagulation of commingled with the castor oil, the ozone unites at the point of double bonding, with the ricinoleic acid, and forms the ozonid thereof, and that the triricinolein thereby becomes the carrier of oxygen which acts germicidally upon the pathogenic organisms which are present in the intestines. This chemical reaction may be represented as follows, omitting the major portion of the formula-e ricinoleic acid +0zone= ricinoleic ozonid. Usually, if not always, castor oil contains some free ricinoleic acid, and'the ozone unites with this to form ricinoleic ozonid,

triricinolein it forms triaction, one of the ozonids is as the other, since each serves equally well as an active oxygen carrier. This active oxygen constituent of the ozonid combines with the water in the intestines, to form hydrogen peroxid, and this liberated active oxygen acts germicidally upon the micro-organisms and the toxic bacterial products of the intestines. These pathogenic germs in the in-.

testinal tract are for the most part anaerobic and are quickly destroyed by free oxygen. This active oxygen also presumably has a beneficial effect upon the tissues of the intestines and restores the poisoned and oxygen-starved cells to normal functioning and a healthy condition.

In the treatment of the castor oil sufficient ozone is added to completely destroy the toxic propertyb'fthe ricin constituent, and when this has been done usually suflicient ozone has been taken up by the ricinoleic acid and the tri-ricinolein to render, the compound completely germicidal, but in order to insure that sufficient oxygen for germicidal action will be present in every instance, the ozonizing is generally continued by me until the oil assumes a rich amber color.

While the castor oil would absorb from to 17 per cent. of its weight of ozone before it would become completely saturated, I have found that a considerably less amount will be entirely effective for my purpose. Pure castor oil is of a greenish transparent color, but the product resulting from my treatment is of an amber color. In pro ducing my compound it is only necessary to treat the oil until it assumes such amber color, which is an indication that the treatment has proceeded far enough. The product has a pleasant taste, resembling water- 3. A medicinal product comprising ozone in chemical union with castor oil.

4. The method of treating castor oil to destroy the toxic property of the ricin constituent, consisting in oxidizing the ricin constituent.

5. The method of treating castor oil to destroy the toxic property of the ricin constituent consisting in commingling ozone with the castor oil.

6. The method sisting in passing ozone through the oil until first thetoxic property of the ricin constituent is destroyed and then continuing the treatment until ricinoleic ozonid is formed. r

7. The method of treating castor oil to destroy the toxic property of the ricin constltuent consisting in commingling ozone with the castor oil until the oil assumes an amber color.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM JOHN KNOX.

Witnesses:

VIo'roR D. BORST,

WALDO M. CHAPIN.

of treating castor oil con 

